NEWS STORIES

DECEMBER 2013

Dec. 31: The National Corn Growers Association Nominating Committee is accepting applications for the 2015 Corn Board, but interested members need to act quickly to meet the January 10 deadline. Through the Corn Board, members can become an integral part of the organization’s leadership. Click here for the application, which provides complete information on requirements, responsibilities and deadlines. “Through my years on the Corn Board, I have had …

Dec. 30: U.S. corn exports to Latin America continue to grow. According to the USDA, the Western Hemisphere's accumulated U.S. corn imports are more than 67 million bushels ahead of last year at this same time. Mexico, the second-largest U.S. corn market, is the largest contributor to this market change, importing 39.4 million bushels more than last year. “It is exciting to see how free trade agreements lead to …

Dec. 26: A group of Midwestern governors, all members of the Governors’ Biofuels Coalition, have sent letters to President Barack Obama expressing their support for the Renewable Fuel Standard. These letters come in response to the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposal which would scale back the volume of renewable fuels required under the Renewable Fuel Standard in 2014. In a joint letter to the president, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Gina …

Dec. 24: Lifetime TV welcomes CommonGround Iowa volunteer Sara Ross to its morning program The Balancing Act this Thursday to further an ongoing conversation between the American moms on and off of the farm. Ross will answer questions and address concerns about food safety and the benefits of GMOs while clearing up myths surrounding organically grown foods and conventionally grown foods. This is the third of a four-segment mini-series …

Dec. 24: From soil health, succession planning and weed management—to the importance of the Renewable Fuel Standard and transportation infrastructure—experts will cover these and several other agriculture topics during educational sessions at the 19th Annual Commodity Classic in San Antonio, Texas. Learning Center sessions are offered at Commodity Classic from Feb. 27-March 1, 2014. The 19 sessions offer in-depth discussions of current issues and topics that have a direct …

Dec. 23: Record production, high quality and minor weather-related impacts are the top-line findings of the 2013/2014 Corn Harvest Quality Report, released last week by the U.S. Grains Council, of which the National Corn Growers Association is a founding member. "After a record drought last year, the world has been watching intently the 2013 U.S. corn crop," said USGC President and CEO Tom Sleight. "Production has rebounded, and quality …

Dec. 20: Advanced production techniques, informed growing practices and improved seed varieties helped corn growers achieve high yields in the National Corn Growers Association 2013 National Corn Yield Contest. Entrants continued to far surpass the national average corn yield, setting a contest record with a new all-time high yield of 454 bushels per acre. Additionally, a record five national entries surpassed the 400-plus bushel per acre mark. The National …

Dec. 19: As the Maize Genetics and Genomics Database project moves forward, Off the Cob caught up with MGGDB Curator Dr. Jack Gardiner for an update on the progress made over the last quarter. In the interview, Gardiner explained how the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service-supported database in Ames, Iowa, has been recruiting its first proteomics data set. While this is an ongoing effort, it should reach completion …

Dec. 18: Members of the U.S. Biotech Crops Alliance, a collaborative effort to improve the environment for technology innovation and the market for U.S. crops produced through modern biotechnology, met in Washington this week to discuss recent progress and plan for the future. In addition to examining the next steps necessary toward achievement of overall goals, the group invited additional commodities to attend and is considering expanding to include canola, …

Dec. 18: Lifetime TV welcomes CommonGround Iowa volunteer Sara Ross to its morning program The Balancing Act tomorrow to further an ongoing conversation between the American moms on and off of the farm. Ross will answer questions and address concerns about food safety and the benefits of GMOs while clearing up myths surrounding organically grown foods and conventionally grown foods. This is the third of a four-segment mini-series in …

Dec. 17: This week, the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency convened a Scientific Advisory Board to conduct a peer review of the Water Body Connectivity Report draft released by that agency in September. The panel, which includes a broad variety of independent scientific experts, is assessing the scientific validity of that report, upon which the agency will base their rule defining Waters of the United States. This rule seeks to …

Dec. 16: The National Corn Growers Association congratulates American Ethanol spokesman Austin Dillon who announced last week that he will return to the track next season in the elite-level NASCAR™ Sprint Cup Series. Still driving the famed No. 3 car, Dillon makes his move into the elite-level race series with the backing of Richard Childress Racing. “The National Corn Growers Association had an incredible year as its message about …

Dec. 16: The National Corn Growers Association Nominating Committee reminds members that it is accepting applications for the 2015 Corn Board, but less than a month remains for submission. Through the Corn Board, members can become an integral part of the organization’s leadership. Click here for the application, which provides complete information on requirements, responsibilities and deadlines. “Through my years on the Corn Board, I have had the …

Dec. 16: Timely action by the U.S. Grains Council, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Trade Representative averted a patently protectionist seasonal market closure in Panama, keeping this important market open for U.S. corn exports. “U.S. corn farmers increasingly understand the importance of working diligently to maintain all markets for our product both at home and abroad,” said National Corn Growers Association Trade Policy and Biotechnology Action Team …

Dec. 12: The National Corn Growers Association announced its strong opposition to a bill introduced today by Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) and eight cosponsors which would eliminate the corn ethanol mandate within the Renewable Fuel Standard. The bill, titled the Corn Ethanol Mandate Elimination Act of 2013, not only finds basis in the fallacious food versus fuel and blend wall arguments but also would deny America the environmental …

Dec. 11: National Corn Growers Association Corn Board Member Jon Holzfaster represented the interests of American farmers today during a Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works Committee and Subcommittee on Clean Air and Nuclear Safety oversight hearing on domestic renewable fuels. The two panel session included testimony from government officials and industry leaders on the environmental and economic impacts of the Renewable Fuel Standard and increased use of domestically …

Dec. 11: For 2014, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has proposed a 1.4 billion gallon reduction in how much corn ethanol will be required under the Renewable Fuel Standard, the federal law that helps get domestic, renewable, cleaner-burning corn ethanol blended in the nation’s fuel supply. This will reduce already-low corn prices and negatively affect planting decisions in 2014. Last week, dozens of corn growers and other supporters of ethanol …

Dec. 11: Lifetime TV welcomes CommonGround Ohio volunteer Kristin Reese to its morning program The Balancing Act tomorrow to further an ongoing conversation between the American moms on and off of the farm. Reese will share special family holiday recipes from while also helping consumers learn more about how the food on their tables was grown and raised. This is the second of a four-segment mini-series in which The …

Dec. 11: Only two days remain to apply for the NCGA William C. Berg Academic Excellence in Agriculture Scholarship Program. These five scholarships, offered by the National Corn Growers Association and BASF Corporation, will award $1,000 each to undergraduate and graduate students pursuing a degree in an agriculture-related field during the 2014-15 school year. “NCGA understands that to remain successful as an industry we must focus on education and …

Dec. 10: U.S. farmers remain on course to produce a record corn crop if forecasts hold, but increased demand will result in lower ending stocks than previously anticipated according to U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates released today. Harvest projections remained stable at 13.98 billion bushels as demand for corn for use in ethanol, food, seed and industrial use and for corn exports increased by a total of 150 million bushels. …

Dec. 10: This holiday season, members of the National Corn Growers Association can save on travel expenses by using discounts available exclusively through NCGA. Through partnerships with Enterprise Rent-A-Car and the exclusive NCGA Worldwide Hotel Discount Program, NCGA offers members valuable savings on car rentals and hotel bookings whether they travel across the country or even to many locations around the world. “NCGA works hard to increase opportunities for …

Dec. 10: This week, the National Corn Growers Association’s Corn Board, Action Teams and Committees will convene in St. Louis to delve into the issues and opportunities that will affect corn farmers across the country during the coming year. Gaining information from presentations by leaders from industry and government, the team members will explore possible changes to team policies and activities that could help their respective programs improve efforts …

Dec. 9: The National Corn Growers Association announced today that registration for the 2014 Corn Utilization and Technology Conference is now open. The biennial event will be held June 2-4 in Louisville, Ky. The 2014 CUTC will feature the cutting-edge technologies and new uses that continually improve and dynamically change the corn industry with a focus on wet and dry milling. “While June may seem a ways away, registering …

Dec. 9: Last week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service released its highly anticipated Conservation Effects Assessment Program report outlining the extent of conservation adoption and corresponding water quality benefits within the Chesapeake Bay watershed. The report, which contains very good news for the agriculture industry, shows how farmers have adopted a record number of voluntary conservation practices on cultivated cropland, leading to significant environmental improvements. …

Dec. 9: Risk management, shifting market conditions and participation in a national television program are on this year’s menu for early risers at Commodity Classic. Always a popular and eye-opening start to the day, the Early Riser sessions begin at 7:00 a.m. with complimentary coffee, breakfast pastries and energy-packed presentations. Thursday, February 27 from 7:00 to 8:00 a.m., DTN/The Progressive Farmer Senior Analyst Darin Newsom will discuss a changing …

Dec. 6: The National Corn Growers Association announces the creation of the Good Steward Recognition Program to expand awareness of best practices in sustainable corn production. The focus of the program will be to demonstrate the economic and conservation value of soil management. “Success stories abound in agriculture in the areas of precision application and timing of inputs, improved seeds and large advancements in tillage and other practices, “said …

Dec. 6: At a day-long public hearing that ran into late Thursday night in Washington, dozens of corn growers and other supporters of ethanol raised their voices about the potential for grave economic impacts should the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency slash the amount of corn ethanol in the Renewable Fuel Standard next year. In his testimony, National Corn Growers Association First Vice President Chip Bowling, who drove up to …

Dec. 5: Lifetime TV welcomed CommonGround Ohio volunteer Kristin Reese to its morning program The Balancing Act today, to further an ongoing conversation between the American moms on and off of the farm. Reese shared special family holiday recipes from while also helping consumers learn more about how the food on their tables was grown and raised. This is the second of a four-segment mini-series where The Balancing Act …

Dec. 4: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s proposal to cut the amount of corn ethanol required under the 2014 Renewable Fuel Standard by 10 percent will affect corn prices and rural economies, farmers plan to tell the agency at a hearing set for Thursday outside the nation’s capital. More than 30 corn farmers and their allies from around the country are traveling to Washington for the important public hearing. …

Dec. 3: National Corn Growers Association Chairwoman Pam Johnson took a moment to sit down with Off the Cob to discuss her recently completed mission with MAIZALL to China and South Korea. The mission, which was the first activity jointly conducted by the alliance, provided Johnson with insight into the effectiveness of the alliance, which she was fundamental in creating, and into the opportunities for corn farmers as export markets …

Dec. 2: The founding organizations of a broad-based group known as the U.S. Biotech Crops Alliance today announced that Dr. Michael J. Phillips has been selected as its first secretariat to spearhead collaborative efforts to improve the environment for technology innovation and the market for U.S. crops produced through modern biotechnology. Established under a memorandum of understanding signed in 2012, the USBCA already has developed and is working to …

Dec. 2: Citing severe economic and environmental ramifications, the National Corn Growers Association today called on all its members and friends to submit comments to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, opposing its proposal to slash the amount of corn ethanol required in the Renewable Fuel Standard. “It’s critical that our growers and all those concerned about the rural economy stand up for corn ethanol and urge the EPA to …